Business meetings with stakeholders from different parts of the world are becoming more and more frequent in the current market. They may be between employees from the same international company or between professionals from different companies who want to start a business relationship. For this reason, language interpretation has become a necessity for those working in an increasingly expansive international market. Only this way can you hold international meetings where language does not become a barrier.
What is language interpretation?
In technical terms, it consists of translating a message to the language of the listeners in order to avoid a breakdown in communication between parties who do not share a common language. In short, it works to enable fluid conversation between both parties.
The major difference between it and translation — the other branch with which interpretation is often confused — is that professional interpreters do not work with written language, but rather oral language.
Language interpretation features participation by three essential players: the speaker, the interpreter, and the listener. Beyond transmitting a message in another language, the role of the interpreter is also to communicate everything that is implicit in a message yet is not expressed in words. Here we are referring to gestures, intonations (essential for conveying emotions), and other factors.
This is vitally important in the business world, where closing an important deal or project may depend on how well the interpreter performs their job.
The importance of a professional interpreter
As we mentioned before, closing an important business deal can depend on the work of an interpreter. The ability for two people representing their respective companies to communicate lies in this vitally important task and, therefore, in the hands of the interpreter.
By hiring a professional interpretation service you can avoid misinterpretations while enabling a fluid and comfortable conversation between participants, substantially increasing the likelihood of success in your international meetings. Don’t leave such an important task in the hands of someone unqualified; communicate what you want, exactly how you want it, so that your message is understood perfectly. Only this way will you achieve the goals you set for an international meeting.
To do so, you can opt for different types of interpretation:
- Simultaneous (in real time — or a small delay of only a few seconds while the person speaks — and using a headset so as not to interrupt the speaker).
- Consecutive (once the speaker stops speaking).
- Liaison (a single interpreter for two languages, for the listener and the speaker).
- Whispered (also known as chuchotage). In this form, the interpreter whispers the translation into the listener's ear in an effort not to interfere with the actual conversation and, thus, ensure that it is more natural.
During business meetings, we recommend that you opt for liaison interpreting, as it is ideal for fluid communication and a real exchange with the interlocutor. Lastly, you can also use telephone interpretation if the meeting is held telematically. In any case, always hire a professional language interpretation service like the one we offer at Linguaserve.
